Andrew Montgomery

Sociodemographic Characteristics, Biological Factors, and Symptom Reporting in Midlife Women

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study is to examine the influence of Sociodemographic characteristics, reproductive hormones, and body composition on symptoms reported by generally well midlife women. DesignThe design was a 24-cell, randomly selected quota sample, stratified by four occupations that varied in professional status, two races, and three age groups. One hundred fifty-three women, aged 35 to 69, who worked 20 or more hours a week, who were not on hormone replacement therapy, who were not pregnant, and who did not have a hysterectomy prior to the age of 53 participated in the study. Data were collected at 10 employment sites. Symptoms were assessed by a 22-item symptom index. Serum hormone levels of estradiol and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) were drawn for each woman, and body composition was assessed by body mass index (BMI). ResultsChi-square tests showed that significantly more White women than Black women experienced nervous tension, loss of urine, and vaginal dryness. Analyses of variance showed that women experiencing hot flashes had significantly higher FSH levels, lower estradiol levels, and higher BMI than women not experiencing this symptom. Estradiol (odds ratio 0.988) and BMI (odds ratio 1.094) were significant predictors of experiencing hot flashes when entered into a stepwise logistic regression with age and FSH level as covariates. ConclusionsFindings suggest that symptoms experienced by midlife women are consistent across races, and that interventions targeting weight reduction may improve hot flashes experienced by midlife women.

Family Caregivers and Limitations in Social Activities

Constriction of social and personal activities is one of the most frequently noted consequences of caring for a frail elder. This study analyzed the correlates of perceived limitations in social activities using data from a national sample of the frail elderly and their caregivers. Two research issues were addressed: 1) What differences in demographic, family, and caregiving attributes are associated with variation in perceived restricted social activities? and, 2) How does the process influencing restriction of social activities vary by family relationship of the caregiver? Higher levels of elder dependency and task demands were characteristic of those who reported social limitations, and daughters and wives were more likely to report such limitations than sons and husbands. Subjective assessment of time and task demands, however, were more important influences than objective caregiving activities for all family caregivers.

Social role quality and psychological well being in employed black and white midlife women.

This study examined relationships among job, partner, and parent role quality and psychological well being in midlife black (n = 51) and white (n = 56) women employed in occupations varying by socioeconomic status (SES). Oversampling for black women ensured balanced occupational representation, allowing investigation uncontaminated by SES. Instruments included Baruch and Barnetts Rewards and Concerns Scales, Bradburn Affect Balance Scale, and Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Better well being scores were reported by black women than whites, and by professionals than non-professionals. However, when race, occupational group, and menopausal status were held constant in a multiple regression analysis, partner role quality was significantly related to both well being scores, parent role quality was related to life satisfaction only, and job role quality was not related to either. Nurses in the workplace can help women identify problematic aspects of their multiple social roles, and facilitate resolution of problems to improve worker health.

Aerobic Fitness and Body Mass Protect Against Bone Loss in Healthy Midlife Women

Skeletal bone mass in women begins to decline at about the age of 30 years, and loss accelerates in the immediate postmenopausal years. A longitudinal study of 169 healthy women aged 35–62 years was conducted to determine the combined effects of physical activity and several other factors (age, menopause, race, body mass) on lumbar bone mineral density and change in lumbar bone over 24 months. Lumbar bone mineral content was assessed by dual-energy x-ray bone densitometry. Physical activity was quantified from both a fitness measure of predicted maximum oxygen intake and a retrospective 12-month self-report of time spent in aerobic weight-bearing activities. Fit midlife women, as measured by predicted maximum oxygen uptake, had significantly lower bone mineral density, partly associated with low body mass. On the other hand, the fit women and women with higher body mass had less bone loss over a 2-year period. These data suggest that increased levels of aerobic fitness as well as body mass may prevent some of the bone loss that occurs in healthy midlife women.